美国胸科协会(ATS)和欧洲呼吸学会(ERS)联合发表的共识中，将特发性肺纤维化(IPF)定义为原因不明并以普通型间质性肺炎(UIP)为特征性病理改变的一种慢性纤维化性间质性肺疾病。在2000年ATS／ERS的IPF共识意见 及2003年中华医学会呼吸病学分会IPF的诊断和治疗指南(草案) 中均推荐的治疗方案为糖皮质激素，或与细胞毒制剂(环磷酰胺及硫唑嘌呤)联合使用。但目前尚缺乏循证医学证据支持该治疗方案能够提高IPF患者生活质量或生存率 。近年来随着对IPF的发病机制认识的深入，越来越多的临床医师和研究者对IPF患者是否需要用糖皮质激素等药物的治疗提出了质疑。
2000 年美国胸科学会/ 欧洲呼吸学会( ATS/ERS) 发表了特发性肺纤维化( idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, IPF) 诊断和治疗的共识。历经11 年, IPF 的临床和基础研究均取得了许多重要进展。2011 年来自美国胸科学会( American Thoracic Society,ATS) 、欧洲呼吸学会( European Respiratory Society, ERS) 、日本呼吸学会( Japanese Respiratory Society,JRS) 和拉丁美洲胸科学会( Latin American Thoracic Association, ALAT) 的间质性肺疾病( ILD) 、特发性间质性肺炎( IIP) 和IPF领域的著名专家, 系统回顾了2010 年5 月前有关IPF的文献, 共同制定了第一部以循证为基础的IPF诊断和治疗指南( 简称2011 指南) , 于2011 年3 月正式颁布 。2011 指南涵盖当今对IPF 的最新知识, 囊括IPF 定义、流行病学、危险因素、诊断、自然病史、分期与预后、治疗和疾病过程监控、将来的研究方向等多方面的内容。限于篇幅, 本文对2011 指南中的主要内容作一简介, 以飨国内同道。
骨化性气管支气管病( tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica,TPO 或TO) , 是一种罕见的气管内膜系统的良性病变, 主要以气管和主支气管黏膜下多发性骨和软骨组织结节状增生为特征, 通常引起气道狭窄[ 1] 。大多数患者没有临床症状, 因此易被误诊和漏诊。本文将TO 的临床特征做一综述, 以提高对该病的认识。
Objective To analyze the clinical presentations and radiological characteristics of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( IPF) . Methods Clinical and radiological data of 2 patients with acute exacerbation of IPF from April 2006 to July 2008 were retrospectively analyzed and literatures were reviewed. Results Both patients were senior male patients over 60 years old. Dyspnea, cough and inspiratory crackles were the major symptoms and signs. Two patients were experiencing an exacerbation of dyspnea for one week and half of month, respectively. PaO2 /FiO2 of both patients was less than225 mm Hg. In both patients, high-resolution computed tomography ( HRCT) scans at the exacerbation showed typical signs of IPF including peripheral predominant, basal predominant reticular abnormality, with honeycombing and traction bronchiectasis and bronchiolectasis, and newly developing alveolar opacity. HRCT scan showed peripheral area of ground-glass attenuation adjacent to subpleural honeycombing in one patient, and diffusely distributed ground-glass opacity in another patient. Two patients had received corticosteroid treatment. For one patient, the symptoms improved, and ground-glass attenuation adjacent to subpleural honeycombing had almostly resolved. The other patient died of respiratory failure. Conclusions Some acute exacerbation in idiopatic pulmonary fibrosis can be idiopathic. The clinical presentations mainly include the worsening of dyspnea within short time. HRCT generally demonstrates new bilateral ground-glass abnormality with or without areas of consolidation, superimposed on typical changes of IPF.